Do I need a reason to be different?
by Selene Romanov
Summary: Brooke and Nathan stereotyped, could they have a hope of finding love in their chaotic cruel world. Read on and find out. Chapter Six is up! ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter One

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Author: Selene Romanov

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Title: Do I need a reason to be different?

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Summary: Brooke and Nathan…need I say more?

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A/N: Enjoy!

Captain of the Cheerleading Squad. 

Brooke looked into her mirror and smiled her best fake smile, sometimes she couldn't tell the difference between her fake smile and her real one.

_How can I possibly know the difference, nothing in the last six months has made me smile because I've actually wanted to._

Staring at her perfect complexion in the mirror, Brooke threw her hairbrush at the wall. Fury vibrated through her.

Here I am, pitying myself when others have so much less. I'm rich, popular and pretty, what more could a teenage girl want.

_Not to be lonely or feel broken.  
_  
Shifting her gaze out her bedroom window, she heard the whistle of the trees and the squeak of car brakes. No doubt her stepmother Corinne's BMW convertible brakes.

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her car keys off the desk, her homework in one hand. A cool autumn wind blew through her hair whirling into the horizon. Brooke looked upward and wished she could fly away.

Her stepmother's saccharine tones flew down the stairs where Brooke stood at the garage door.

Brooke slammed the door shut and ran to her car. Flooring the engine, she reversed out of the driveway smoothly and switched to drive and drove away.

**Captain of the Basketball Team**

Nathan stood on the gravel driveway, shooting the ball into the hoop repeatedly. Swish it sounded each time. After fifty swishes, Nathan dropped the ball, watching it roll to the grass.

Yellow, red and orange leaves covered the lawn and Nathan wished he had someone to roll in them with.

Peyton had been his last girlfriend and they didn't do stuff like that. Since having broken up with her last year, he'd had girls at his beck and call. But their practiced artificial simpering act left him cold.

He wanted a real relationship, with who, he didn't know. Maybe someone he didn't know.

Pulling the keys to his black Mustang out of his pocket, he got into the car and drove down the street for destination unknown.

Brooke pulled into the driveway of her beach house, the houses next to her stood empty. The summer vacationers had gone home and left their houses like old ladies to defend themselves in the coming cold of winter.

A black Mustang sped down the road towards her and pulled into the driveway next to hers.

"Nathan Scott, what brings you out here?" Brooke smiled her fake smile.

"I got sick of trying to be the perfect basketball playing son, how 'bout you?" Nathan smirked at her.

"I got sick of being the perky cheerleader." Brooke smirked back at him.

"Well I've got a solution." Nathan opened his trunk and pulled out a six-pack of beer. Arching his eyebrows mischievously, he waited for her acceptance.

"No thanks, I've got homework to do." Brooke turned from him and walked to the front door of her beach house.

"Are you serious?" Nathan called after her.

Brooke turned and nodded.

Shaking his head, Nathan grabbed a blanket with one hand and carried his beer in the other and proceeded to the beach, where he planned on getting smashingly drunk.

**10:04 p.m.**

Brooke turned down her wall shaking Tom Petty to give herself a break. Having been at the homework for the last 3 hours, she'd finished all of her overdue assignments and caught on everything, she'd be good for another week.

Turning her head to the open windows, she thought she heard shouting from outside.

The sky was dark overhead, the only light from the half moon and the lamp lights posted on the sand.

"Here's to every girl that I've liked and has only liked me for what I have to offer and not me for myself," was shouted down the beach.

Wincing from the volume of the shout, Brooke slipped into a pair of sandals and walked down to where Nathan was moving back and forth, stumbling over his feet with every step.

Walking up behind him, she noted the empty six bottles of beer and the blanket twisted around Nathan's middle, which he held in place with one hand the other hand pointing upwards as he ranted.

"Nathan, what are you doing?" Brooke yelled at him from behind.

He whirled at the sound of her voice, almost falling over in the process.

His eyes lit on her, a strange gleam lighting up his eyes.

"Sweet Brooke, the one flower who always escaped my pursuit, the one I wrote poems about in Grade Eight, the one who spurned my admirer letters in Grade Nine. I dated Peyton to be close to her, sweet Brooke." Nathan fell over with the last few words torn out of him.

Drunk exhaustion took over his body and he snored gently like a baby as he slept.

Brooke supported him with one arm, the blanket wrapped around her shoulders and the beer box hanging from her other hand.

"You're not a light load." Brooke commented to a snoring Nathan.

She pushed him into her bed and he rolled over clutching the pillow.

Brooke went back over what he'd said and wondered if what he'd said was true. The thing about the admirer letters was odd, because she'd had gotten those for a month in Grade Nine, she'd told no one about them.

She still had them, locked away in a box in her closet somewhere.

Getting into bed with Nathan, she lay on her stomach and closed her eyes, soon joining Nathan in the slumber of sleep.

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Ahah, another Brathan fic, I am obsessed with these two. Want more, lemme know by reviewing, oh please, reviews are my chocolate. AND I LOVE CHOCOLATE. LOL!


	2. Chapter Two

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A/N: Thanks for ALL the reviews, you guys rock. Enjoy this chappie.

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Brooke opened her eyes and looked around, the surroundings were unfamiliar at first, but then her memory kicked into gear and she remembered last night and what had happened.

Nathan shifted next to her, still hugging the pillow unabashedly in his deep sleep.

Brooke looked at the clock on the wall, it was 9:06, thank god it was Saturday and they didn't have school. Draping the blanket over Nathan, she put on her slippers and walked downstairs to make something to eat.

The smell of smoky bacon and cooked eggs wafted up the stairs to Nathan's nostrils, his stomach clicked into hunger mode and he woke up slowly. His head thumping a bit, not so much a massive hangover just a slight one.

He opened his eyes and looked around, expecting to see his bedroom surroundings, instead he saw a navy and cream décor splashed around the room and more of a feminine touch, then he remembered the previous night. _Brooke_.

He could only remember bits and pieces of last night, being on the beach and shouting a lot and drinking all that beer, watching the sun go down alone.

_Always alone._

How could he face her after last night? What if he'd said something personal that she wasn't supposed to know about? Wracking his brain, he tried to remember, but he couldn't? Rubbing the back of his head, he made his way down the stairs.

Brooke stood in the middle of the kitchen in front of the stove belting out a song along with the radio.

Nathan watched as she danced around the kitchen with her eyes shut, until she whirled into him. Her eyes flew open in shock and her pupils dilated, her eyes seemed to dance with happiness for a second and then she masked her emotions.

"Nathan I thought you'd be sleeping for awhile," she seemed almost shy around him.

Nathan found this kind of endearing. "Sit down, I'm making my famous Saturday hangover breakfast just for you, one friend helping out another friend."

Nathan flinched at the use of the word "friend". If that's all Brooke would offer then he would take it.

"So what are you doing today?" Nathan asked.

"Well I should probably go home and see if my dad's home, put in my weekly daughter visit and then vanish back into the woodwork," Brooke smiled mockingly. "What about you?" turning her attention to Nathan.

"I should probably go home and work on my basketball so my dad will lay off and then my homework so my mom will lay off." Nathan sighed.

"Don't we just have fascinating lives?" Brooke looked at Nathan.

"Fascinating." Nathan echoed sarcastically.

"How about if we disappear for the day and go do something together away from the hell that is our lives?" Brooke watched Nathan for a reaction.

"Okay, like what?" Nathan looked excited at the prospect of escaping routine hell for a day.

"I've got an idea, we'll leave in an hour, go home and get a change of clothes and come back." Brooke told him mysteriously.

"Yeah." Nathan clapped his hands in mock glee, he packed in the breakfast she'd made him. Collected his assorted beer bottles and stereo and walked over to his car.

Saluting her, he drove home to get his stuff.

Brooke let the curtain fall back into place, _wondering why Nathan would've written her secret admirer letters in the ninth grade, he'd never hinted that he liked her. She'd have to explore that subject, first things first, she had to find those letters he'd written her._

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More soon, thanks for reviewing, keep reviewing, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Any ideas on where Nookie should go on their secret rendezvous, lemme know.


	3. Chapter Three

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A/N: Thanks for ALL the reviews, you guys rock! Amusement park it is!

Nathan pulled into her driveway, parking next to her VW beetle, a bag in his hand as he got out of his car. He looked happy, Brooke watched him walk up the stairs, she let the opal silk curtain slide back into place. Opening the door, she let him in.

"Where we going?" he seemed happy to get away from his father and Tree Hill for awhile.

"We're going to an amusement park in Hedley which is about 2 hour drive south of here," Brooke smirked at him. "And I thought we would stay in a hotel overnight and make a trip of it."

"Just let me get my stuff," Brooke gestured to her two bags.

"Are you packing for a week, we're going for one day and one night," Nathan teased her.

"A girl can never have too many outfits," Brooke admonished him jokingly.

Nathan's eyes lit up mischievously as he grabbed her makeup bag and held it over his head, "Say Uncle."

"No," Brooke pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, she stamped her foot piously. When Nathan lowered his arm, she jumped up and grabbed it.

Laughing softly, she stopped suddenly, when Nathan stood there looking down at her face, his eyes focused on her lips.

Pushing an invisible lock of hair out of her face nervously, she turned back around and grabbed the rest of her bags, "Let's go."

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A couple hours later…….

Brooke pulled into a Motel 6 and shut off the engine, "I'll get the room and you can pay for the park, how's that sound?"

"Great, try and get a corner room, so if we're making too much noise, only one wall has to suffer," arching his eyebrows in mischievous glee, he swatted away her hand.

"I'm just kidding Brooke, it's not like you like me that way anyway," Nathan turned away and missed the hurt look on her face.

Brooke pranced out of the office with a key in her hand and jauntily strode over to the car. "We are in number 23." Smirking at him, she waited for a remark about how lucky it was that they were in the same room as his number.

Nathan just smiled and got out of the car with his bag.

"Let's go." Carrying her bag and his, he followed her up the stairs.

Brooke walked out of the bathroom after fixing her hair and makeup and collided with Nathan, trying to catch her balance, she failed, falling awkwardly back on the bed.

Nathan loomed over her, laughter on his face and then he looked down into her eyes and then at her lips and his expression changed. From friendly happiness to a mask of desire mixed with confusion.

Brooke remembered one of the secret admirer letters that he'd written her in that frozen moment of undecided passion…..

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Dear Brooke,

From afar, I gaze at your beauty. Surrounded by all your friends, I wish I could be in your presence, I long for you. The arch of your brow, so slender and fine. Mocha eyes that I could drown in, sweet crimson lips I long to kiss. In a way, we are together, but you would never to be with me…..How I know? I just do, the time isn't right, but I can still write you and tell you of my feelings…..until I touch you again with my words…..

Your Secret Admirer

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Hope you liked the chappie update and the letter. Next chappie will feature them going to the amusement park and another secret admirer letter. Reviews are appreciated, thanks for reading my story, it means a lot to me. 


	4. Chapter Four

A/N: Thanks for ALL the reviews! Enjoy this chapter.  
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Thanks for ALL the reviews! Enjoy this chapter.- 

Brooke flashed back to the present, her eyes peered into his and then away for a second, that split second caused Nathan to second-guess his feelings towards Brooke and he retreated back into his shell.

"Let's go to the park," Nathan steered her forward gently with his hand on the small of her back.

Brooke locked the motel door behind them and walked to her car.

"Brooke, about that, back in there, I-" he looked over the car into her sad eyes.

"What, it was a nice spark but nothing I haven't felt before, now let's go before we start fighting," Brooke ducked into the car, missing the piercing hurt evident in his eyes.

Brooke drove down the road to the park, the parking lot was crammed full of cars. Locking her car door, she flounced ahead of Nathan to the gate.

Forking over admission for two, Nathan looked down at her delicate hand that was being stamped with a blue clown face. So small and fine, perfect for him.

Pulling her aside into the foliage of the trees next to the fence, Nathan leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. His heart raced frightfully waiting for Brooke to reject him or worse….

Brooke slowly traced her lips, her pink tongue tasting Nathan's musky sexy smell. Opening her eyes, she felt as if everything around her was brighter and more intoxicating. Looking up into Nathan's eyes, she smiled softly, "That was…," closing her eyes, she moaned softly and opened her eyes to watch his response.

Nathan stood there half dazed for a minute, then looked down at her as she laughed lightly at him. "Brooke I'm gonna get you," he chased her through the colorful tents until he pinned her gently against the wall.

"I surrender." Brooke leaned up for a kiss, mischief in her eyes.  
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Leaping away from Nathan, before he could kiss her. Brooke laughed lightly, her heart clenching nervously as she watched him. Dark hair askew over his brow, chocolate eyes that threatened to melt her heart. Yet she was scared of what he could do to her, if she let him into her heart.

"Brooke's what wrong?" Nathan leaned forward to touch her arm.

"Nothing, can we just go on the rides?" Brooke avoided his penetrating gaze.

"Sure," Nathan followed her into the chaotic crowd of people.

They got in line for the roller coaster, Brooke was scared of heights, but knew that Nathan loved roller coasts and so she would close her eyes and hold on to him tight through the scary parts.

After a dozen rides and a few games, Brooke was carting around a purple gorilla and a neon green and electric blue zebra won for her by Nathan. The light was fading in the sky, it was past dinnertime, Brooke saw the lights of the Ferris Wheel.

"Please," she begged Nathan, dragging him toward the line.

"Okay," Nathan reluctantly allowed himself to be dragged along.

Once they were in the swinging chair, Nathan wrapped his arm around her tightly, knowing of her fear of heights. Slowly, they moved to the top, till they had a limitless view of the world.

The sun was just sinking beneath the mountains. "It's so beautiful," Brooke whispered, humbled by the beauty of the nature. Turning to look at Nathan, she fell silent, her eyes tracing his features, darkened by the shadows from oncoming twilight.

"Beautiful," she whispered, looking into his eyes, she turned away before he could reply.

Brooke settled on her back beneath the covers as she waited for Nathan to finish in the bathroom. Her mind raced over what happened at the park, rides with Nathan. He'd held her in his arms all day during the scary rides, her skin tingled at the memory.

The door opened at that minute, Nathan caught the pensive look on her face. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I was just thinking about today," she looked at him.

"Oh?" Nathan looked down.

"And how much fun it was," Brooke smiled at him.

"It was," Nathan sat down next to her on the bed. "Brooke, I think I know why you were so weird today, I know you don't want to let anyone in, but I really like you and I would never intentionally hurt you. Please believe me," looking deep in her eyes.

"I know Nathan, I'm just scared," Brooke looked at him, covering his hand with hers.

Nathan got under the covers with Brooke, pulling her into his arms, he turned on the television and stroked her hair as they watched television.  
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I know, short….but to the point…more soon. Plz review, means so much to me and inspires me to write more. Ideas for the next chappy are welcome, the next chapter could be a turning point.


	5. Chapter Five

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Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy this installment.

Death.

A room that reeked of death, wafting mists of rotting flesh floated around her. Pale faces, curving blue lips tinged with icy veins, harsh angles of young faces, forever frozen in the tableau of death.

Bodies empty of spirit. Candles flickered limply in the pale light of dawn, coming through the tiny window barred, freedom denied to those who had died in this room.

Young and fearless girls that wanted a future, that had been taken from them…..murdered helplessly by a psycho.

Her matted mousy hair swished around her shoulders, her eyes, pupils dilated, darted to every corner of the dungeon that she'd been trapped in…for what seemed like an eternity.

It kept her down here, torturing her by leaving her with its victims.

Terror was her new best friend, forever screaming through her veins….every creak she heard, made her think she was next. But never had it touched her….**yet**

Identities couldn't be verified because all she could see were bodies merging together as one. Her eyes blurred in terror, tears streamed down her face. Plucking at her blood coated nightgown, everything swirled around her. Blackness claimed her.

Brooke Davis awoke, her skin covered in goosebumps, her pale shoulders shining like alabaster in the pale moonlight filtering through her curtained window.

Her mind refused to remember what she'd just dreamt about. She just knew it was something so horrific that she would only remember when her mind felt she was ready to.

She was alone in the world, typical rich girl given handouts and never really loved. _Except by one, she wished with all her heart._ Nathan Scott, his letters written to her two years ago, hinted at a passion that had never been explored and that she wanted.

Ever since getting back from the motel room with Nathan, she'd been reluctant to reveal how much she was coming to care for him.

Fear became a metallic taste in her mouth, creaking stairs froze her in position on her bed. Yesterday had been so fun, being free with Nathan on the rides, away from the prying eyes of the societal horrors of high school.

Her ivory nightgown twisted around her ankles as she eased her way slowly out of her bed, the floorboard in the middle of the hall a few yards from her half open bedroom door creaked. Her digital clock glared 3:11 at her.

Her heart raced erratically, adrenaline surged through her veins. Inching towards her closet, she closed herself in. Shutting the door silently, she closed her eyes. Clasping a baseball bat against her chest, she waited…..

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More soon, thanks for the reviews. Who could it be?


	6. Chapter 6

Her door eased open, she heard the slither of her silk robe as it fell from the hook on the back door as it hit the floor. Her heart fell like a racing train, bursting with speed, ready to crash to an erratic stop any moment.

Slick hands tightened on the bat as she got ready to hit someone when the door opened. A sliver of light burst through the cracks of the door. Closing her mouth, trying to stop herself from screaming bloody murder.

She heard muffled sounds, like someone searching her room. A masculine voice called her name, "Brooke are you there?"

_Nathan. What's he doing here? _her mind raced to come up with an idea, why'd he be in her room at 3 in the morning.

"Brooke are you in here?" he called again.

Dropping the bat loudly against the door, she hid behind her hung clothes as she heard him coming towards her door.

The door eased open, her bedside lamp was on, giving light to the room. Sneaker clad feet moved forward. Holding her nightgown in one hand, she lunged forward and jumped at him.

Nathan stepped back in shock, "What are you doing?" he caught her in his arms. Looking down at her.

"Me, what are you doing here at 3-" looking over his shoulder ":24 in the morning, you scared the hell out of me," punching him in the gut, she rolled back on the balls of her feet, hands on her hips, mocking anger in her eyes.

"I was lonely and thought I'd come see you," his lip pouted out petulantly, looking down at his feet, "I missed you, sleeping next to you." Looking up, into her eyes, wishing with all his heart, that there wouldn't be mockery or laughter in her eyes.

All he saw was warmth and invitation. "I missed you and I had the most scary dream ever right before your 3am call." Brooke stepped forward and embraced him.

"I missed you too." He kissed the top of her head softly.

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Temporary ending, thought I should wrap it up.


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